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Plan Your Arrival

A great part of your experience as a first-year student at Columbia University is learning to be open to new situations and experiences. Your first room, roommate, and residence hall in college will definitely be experiences that you will never forget.

Your Housing Assignment

You can expect an email from Columbia Housing on Friday, June 30, with your housing assignment, roommate information (if applicable), and mailbox assignment. If you don’t receive this email, or haven’t signed your Occupancy Agreement online, please email housing@columbia.edu. Detailed information about Columbia Housing and the residence halls is available at housing.columbia.edu.

Exchange and transfer students will receive their Housing assignments by late August.

Check-In Schedule

Check-In is Sunday, August 27 from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You will be asked to register for a Check-In time to help minimize wait time. Moving should be completed by 4:00 p.m. in order to attend NSOP programming.

Instructions to register for Check-In will be provided along with your Housing assignment on June 30.

In the meantime, here are some useful tools to help you make the necessary arrangements for your arrival on campus to ensure that your move-in experience is as stress-free as possible.

Click on a topic below:

Your Room

Your room is furnished with a bed, chair, chest of drawers, desk, bookshelves, closet or wardrobe, a wastebasket and recycling bins. Your windows are covered with miniblinds or shades. Bed heights are adjustable (to a maximum height of 33 inches) to allow for storage under the bed. For bed height specifics, please refer to the Residence descriptions on the Columbia Housing website. Depending on your residence, the floors of your room may or may not be carpeted. In either case, you are welcome to bring your own floor covering. You will need to bring your own pillows, linens, and blankets. Your mattress is extra-long (80” x 36”), so it will require special extra-long sheets.

Please note that you must keep all furnishings in your room, including bed frames and mattresses, and that you may not bring any additional furniture into your living space. Due to space limitations, we are unable to provide alternative storage for any furniture. Refrigerators are not provided in first-year residence halls. You may keep a refrigerator in your room, but it must meet certain outlined specifications. Columbia Housing facilitates refrigerator-microwave combination unit rentals for students through MicroFridge. Refrigerators can also be purchased at the Green Sale during Check-In. For more information, visit the Explore Campus Services page.

Air-Conditioning

Carman and Furnald are equipped with central air-conditioning, while Hartley, Wallach, and John Jay are not. Central air-conditioning is active from approximately May 15 to October 1 each year, depending on the seasonal variations in outdoor temperature. Please note that personal air-conditioners are prohibited in individual rooms.

Laundry

Laundry facilities are located in each residence hall and are accessible 24 hours a day. Laundry is free to undergraduate students living in the residence halls. Learn more.

Campus Security

Safety Inside the Halls

Shortly after your arrival, you will receive a University ID card with a photo. Housing residents are given access to all 18 undergraduate residence halls and SIC House via their Columbia University ID. You may have visitors and guests according to the guest policies found in the Guide to Living. You must sign your guests in with the security desk attendant, and they must leave a photo ID with the desk for the duration of their stay.

Safety Outside the Halls

Morningside Heights is a safe neighborhood. Nevertheless, always be alert, especially at night or when traveling alone. If you feel unsafe at any time, call Public Safety at (212) 854-SAFE and an escort will be provided. Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m., a University shuttle serves the Morningside Heights and Manhattanville areas. See the Columbia Transportationwebsite for information on the evening shuttle.

Packing

Pack your belongings for ease in handling. Use trunks, suitcases, and sealed cartons, which can be moved easily and quickly. Avoid bringing loose belongings.

Remember to bring with you, rather than ship, the items you’ll need during the first few weeks of school. Shipped items may not be immediately available.

Every box should have your full name and address clearly labeled and securely affixed to at least two sides on the outside of the box. Put your name and address on the inside of the box as well.

If your shipment consists of more than one box, number them “1 of 4,” “2 of 4,” “3 of 4,” etc.

Pack electronic equipment and other fragile items in the manufacturer’s original container and padding. If this is not possible, make certain to pack each item separately and protect all sides with at least two inches of protective padding.

Shipping

Do not ship any packages weighing more than 50 pounds or which have a combined length and girth of more than 130 inches.

Make certain to employ a reputable shipping agent, insure all your packages, and use a shipping method that provides package tracking. In the event that a package is not received on time, searching by tracking number is the only way to locate your shipments.

Remember, the insurance and shipment of your package(s) is an arrangement agreed upon by you and your shipping agent. Columbia University and its agents maintain no responsibility in these areas.

Things to Bring / Things Not to Bring

Weather Conditions and Seasonal Clothing

For those of you who are not from the northeastern United States, we have also provided a short description of weather conditions in New York City and suggested clothing for each season (see chart below). Please be aware, however, that New York weather often varies from year to year.

Arrival by Car

If you are planning to arrive by car, expect to encounter a large volume of traffic in the immediate area of the check-in locations. Columbia Public Safety personnel will direct traffic flow in unloading areas. Please cooperate by following their directions.

Members of the orientation staff will also be on hand to assist you with unloading. Please note: a licensed driver must remain with the vehicle the entire time the car is being unloaded. Immediately after the vehicle is unloaded, it must be removed from the unloading zone. Do not leave belongings unattended. In addition, please be certain to lock your car and do not leave any valuables visible. If you park far from campus, public transportation by both bus and subway is available and runs north and south on Broadway.

Street parking is available on Broadway and parts of Amsterdam with a range of rates and restrictions. However, it is extremely limited. Please check street signs for specific regulations. Parking tickets are the responsibility of the vehicle owner. No parking is available on the campus. Information on area parking garages can be found on the Visitors page.

Arrival in the City by Bus or Train

Using the Subway from a New York Bus/Train Hub

Guests arriving by bus or train can access the subway from both Penn Station and the Port Authority Bus Terminal. You can catch the 1 uptown subway line to the 116th Street/Columbia University station.

From Grand Central Terminal (E. 42nd St.), you can take the Shuttle (S subway train) to Times Square/Port Authority (W. 42nd St.), where you can board the 1 subway to 116th Street.

Taxis are also available and are a convenient means of travel when you are transporting luggage. The fare to Columbia is approximately $25 from Penn Station, the Port Authority, or Grand Central Terminal.

Arrival by Airplane

Depending on the airport you use, options for traveling to campus vary. For most airports a yellow cab is the simplest way to travel to Columbia. At LaGuardia, city buses are a viable option, while at Newark and JFK there is AirTrain service that connects to the subways.

Taxi

When arriving by airplane, the easiest and recommended way to travel to campus is to take a yellow medallion taxicab directly from the airport. We highly recommend that you use this method of transportation if you are relatively unfamiliar with New York City. Taxi fare should be about $30 from LaGuardia, $45 from JFK, and $70 from Newark. You will also have to pay for tolls and tip.

Bus

Direct city bus service is available from LaGuardia Airport only. The M60 bus picks up passengers at each LaGuardia terminal every 20 minutes. It takes approximately one hour to reach campus, subject to traffic. The M60 stops on Broadway at West 116th Street. For schedule and fare information, please visit www.mta.info.

Privately owned licensed shuttle buses from Newark, JFK, or LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan are available for approximately $12-15. A bus will bring you to the Port Authority Terminal, where you can transfer to the subway or take a taxi to reach Columbia.

Subway

Subway service is available from Kennedy Airport, but the trip takes at least 90 minutes and is very difficult with luggage. Take the JFK AirTrain to the nearby subway station, where you can then take the A subway toward Manhattan. Transfer to the 1 uptown subway at the 59th Street/Columbus Circle station. For schedule and fare information, please visit www.mta.info.

From Newark, EWR AirTrain service runs to several Manhattan locations where you can connect with a subway or bus. The most straightforward path is to take NJ Transit to New York-Penn Station, where you can transfer from NJ Transit to the MTA, for a small additional fare, to the 1 uptown subway line.

Unloading Areas and Traffic

Public Safety personnel will direct traffic for unloading. Please follow their directions as you arrive.

Carman: Unload at the easternmost campus gate on 114th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Traffic flow is one-way on 114th Street; you must approach from Broadway.

Furnald and John Jay: Unload on College Walk, 116th Street between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. Traffic flow is one-way on College Walk; you must approach from Broadway.

Hartley and Wallach: Unload on the southbound side of Amsterdam Avenue, just above 115th Street. Amsterdam Avenue is a two-way street, but you must use the southbound lane to unload.

Unloading Information

In order to speed everyone’s move-in, we request that you observe the following:

Movers and orientation staff will be available to help with unloading. Please follow their directions.

The movers will provide cardboard bins and dollies to assist in unloading and transporting belongings to your room. A maximum of two large bins (48”x24”x26”) will be issued to each resident.

Because of limited elevator space, only the resident and one parent or guardian may ride in the elevator with the resident’s belongings during move-in. Friends and family may wait in the lounges of each building.

Please be courteous of other residents who are still moving in by using the stairs when going down.

Additional trips require waiting in line again for the elevator.

Expect the move-in process to take a considerable length of time. Dress casually and wear comfortable shoes.